


Save me, from the voices in my head

by Glandire



Category: Ebon Light (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Drama, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Unresolved Emotional Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-04 23:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glandire/pseuds/Glandire
Summary: This is for you Eri. <3Also cause Duli needs more love.I find him quite tricky to write however, so what a challenge!Hope you will like it!Also, there is more to this story, and I have it mostly figured out, so... More chapters soon. I hope.





	1. Whispers in my dreams

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Erimentha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erimentha/gifts).



Alenca was awake, even though her body was aching for a solid, restful sleep. Sadly, in the current state of things, it seemed impossible to achieve. She could not pinpoint when exactly the nightmares started hunting her, but for sure they became constant part of her recent reality, as well as late visits in Duliae's back yard. Every night she was waking up, terrified and shaking, and every night she was escaping to the garden to calm down and collect her shattered thoughts. Not an easy task, especially with quiet, foreign whispers in her mind. But even in the midst of that spooky cuthintal mess, she was determined in not falling apart. That's why she was sitting under small tree now, quivering, but not quite from the chilly air alone. A lone bird was singing beautifully, and Alenca decided to focus on that soothing sound. It was helping, even if just a bit. 

"Trouble sleeping, darling?" Velvety voice did not sound concerned. It was serene and calm, as if about to start very casual conversation. Alenca laughed softly. 

"Where did you get that idea? I simply cannot resist the charms of the deep night." Duliae smiled slightly in response, even though for some reason his chest tightened unpleasantly for a second. Alenca seemed to be in good spirits, smiling, with eyes full of life, but aside from that she looked terrible. Her pale, tired face seemed even more ghastly in the moonlight, contrasting with dark shades under the eyes. She was also getting visibly thinner with each passing day. 

"Truly?" He asked slowly, focusing on reading Alenca's expression. She sighed softly and frowned for a moment, as if considering something. The bird, a bit perturbed with Duliae's presence, decided to get back to its concerto. Smile returned to Alenca's face. 

"Yes, truly. Like that melody. Do you hear it? It reminds me of home..." Duliae nodded slowly. For some reason her answer frustrated him. He wanted to see through her cheerful facade, to know her real thoughts. He gave her a chance to share her worries, but Alenca decided to ignore it. They were both playing a game here, choosing words carefully, speaking between the lines more than directly exchanging thoughts. He enjoyed it, but at the same time there were things he couldn't decipher. Alenca was like a puzzle he could not quite solve, and it was driving him mad. 

"Do you miss it?" Alenca stood up slowly, hugged herself and shook up her head, just to nod a second later. 

"No... And yes. For sure, things were simpler back there." She smiled again, this time very gently, getting quiet for a second. 

"But I would not trade all the things I learned and experienced here, for getting back that peace and quiet. It was a bit suffocating..." Duliae nodded again. It was easy to imagine. Alenca was the knowledge hungry sort for sure, fascinated by every new discovery she was making. Even so... When he thought about it, all the bad things which happened to her, all the hurt, all the pain... He could not quite understand her answer. 

"No regrets then?" He asked quietly, gazing at Alenca's face. She moved closer, and raised her head a bit, to look him in the eyes. Duliae's chest tightened yet again, and he discovered it was almost impossible to look away from the deep green of Alenca's eyes. 

"No regrets..." She whispered back, her gaze full of intensity, he could not quite name. He felt the tension, and for a split second even forced himself not to breathe, to let the moment linger for a bit. Then, all of the sudden Alenca winced, and it was all gone. 

"Oh god... Hell of a headache..." She mumbled, putting fingers on her temples. Duliae exhaled slowly, clutched strongly on his cane, and managed to evoke calm, collected smile to his face. 

"Let me... Let me get you back to your room then..." Alenca simply nodded in agreement. 

* 

She woke up screaming and trembling again. But even getting back to reality, did not shake the terrible images out of her head. She put fingers in her hair and curled up on the bed, trying to stop the urge of crying. Why... Why of all things, she had to dream of that... 

_Because he needs to die..._

Alenca stiffened, hearing familiar, whispery voice. 

"No. Leave me alone..." She closed her eyes, and covered her ears, like a child, even though she knew perfectly well it won't work. 

_He needs to suffer. For every sorrow he brought upon you. For every lie. For the pain..._

Tears finally rolled from Alenca's eyes. Was she simply going mad, or was she possessed? Was there another being inside her, trying to influence her thoughts? Or it was all her, losing sanity? She laughed in between sobs. Why did it matter anyway? In the end, the problem remained the same. So far, she was somehow managing to win over the dark thoughts crawling through her mind but she knew she was getting weaker. Whispers were getting louder, interrupting her own feelings and thoughts. She had to warn them. Tell them. 

But was she ready for that? 

"Alenca?" Soft knock on the doors, familiar velvety voice. Was it concern she heard? Or it was just her imagination? Her heart beat a bit faster. 

_It's all his fault. He is the guiltiest. He needs to die..._

She stopped herself from answering. Even though her unstable mind was finding unexpected comfort in Duliae's presence.  
She had to resist, for the sake of protecting him.  
From herself, and the whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for you Eri. <3  
> Also cause Duli needs more love.  
> I find him quite tricky to write however, so what a challenge!   
> Hope you will like it!  
> Also, there is more to this story, and I have it mostly figured out, so... More chapters soon. I hope.


	2. Whispers in my head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get out of control and Duliae hates it...

"You're avoiding me." It was not a question. Alenca bit on her lip, and looked away, guilt present on her face. She could not deny the obvious. 

"Why?" Duliae's face seemed to be emotionless and collected, but Alenca knew him well enough by now to assume it was just a facade. 

"I have to..." She answered quietly, even though it was not really an explanation. That's why Duliae decided to take a guess. 

"Is it connected to the cuthintal?" The silence became very heavy all of the sudden. Alenca tensed, and inhaled slowly, feeling afraid. Yes, she knew that she should tell him, but then... To admit, that she might be losing her own mind... As if to deepen her worries, another whisper appeared in her mind. 

 

_Ah so that's what he's concerned about. Marrow. Power. Advantage. That's what it is..._

 

Alenca felt unpleasant twist in her stomach. She hated herself for it, but that one simple whisper was enough, to give her doubts. 

"Is that why you're here? The cuthintal?" She asked almost silently, feeling painful sting in her chest. And to think she dared to hope that... 

 

_He does not care about you. He will just use you. As a pawn in his grand game of power..._

 

_He needs to die..._

_Kill him._

_Kill him._

_Kill him._

 

Duliae frowned. He saw it very clearly. A sudden change in Alenca's gaze, which made her seem foreign and distant. She moved towards him in one, swift motion, and the next thing he knew was the painful feel of hands clutching on his throat. Alenca's grip was unnaturally strong, and Duliae groaned, desperately trying to stop himself from panicking. It was not an easy task however, especially considering how quickly he seemed to get out of breath. He caught Alenca's wrists in attempt of pushing her hands away, but she did not even budge. How come she was suddenly so strong? He tried to catch her gaze, but that only made him realize that now in front of him it was not Alenca, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. How could he miss that...? He felt his legs giving way, his vision going slightly dark... 

 

Then he was suddenly kneeling on the ground, coughing violently, his mind very hazy, almost unconscious. He did hear however a panicked voice, from the distance, calling him. Or was he just imagining it? 

"Duliae?!" He felt trembling touch on his cheek, and then his head was moved slightly. Ah, these eyes, these beautiful eyes were familiar ones. That's how much he knew even though he was still quite out of it. His lungs were burning, his head was spinning, and his sight was a bit foggy. 

 

It took a while, but clear thinking was coming back to him. That's when he really _looked_ into Alenca's eyes, and that's when the full weight of the entire situation hit her. She slumped her shoulders and moved her hand back in panicked gesture. Duliae was faster however and caught her wrist before she could truly retreat. 

"Did..." Another violent cough stopped the elf from asking anything. That single word he managed to produce sounded a bit strained as well. But Alenca guessed well enough what he wanted to ask. That's why she nodded her head gently. Yes... She knew something like that could happen. She feared it. That's why she was avoiding him. 

"I'm..." The words were stuck in her throat. _Sorry_ did not cover for what she just did. Especially since with her own hands... She almost... 

She tried free her wrist, but Duliae did not let her. Instead, he raised her captured hand a bit and brought it to his face to gently kiss the inside of Alenca's palm. The very same palm which was clutching on his throat just minutes before. 

 

Alenca felt her eyes stinging. He should be mad, confused, scared, disgusted... Anything but forgiving and comforting... But there he was. Staring intensely into her eyes, still squeezing gently on her hand. He cleared his throat and inhaled slowly. 

"Tell me..." That was all he managed to say, before his voice failed him again. But it was enough. She knew he wanted her to explain. 

"There are nightmares, and the voices..." Her voice was quiet and very unsure, but she discovered that starting was the most difficult part. 

 

It took a lot of time. Explaining the nightmares about his death, the voices who were getting stronger with every passing day, the uneasy feelings she had... She did not have anything to hide anymore. Not even her tears. So she was crying her heart out when it was getting to difficult to continue talking. And he did not mind. He was just there, listening carefully, waiting patiently for her to sort it all out. In the end, she frowned deeply, and looked at Duliae with serious expression. 

"I... Maybe it would be for the best if I was taken by the soldiers... It's dangerous to keep me free, and..." She was silenced, by the unexpected embrace. Everything seemed to stop for a brief moment, and even whispers in her mind were unexpectedly quiet. 

 

* 

 

For few days Alenca was visited by all kinds of medics and charlatans. In the end, every single one of them turned out to be hopeless. Duliae was getting frustrated. Nothing too surprising, considering he couldn't stand not being able to control the situation. Eventually he had to admit however, that the case was too much for him alone. That's why he decided to send for Milirose brothers. If they could not approach it medically, they should focus on the source of the problem - the damned cuthintal. And not too many experts on that field... 

 

Getting help seemed like the best option but Duliae did not expect the cooperation to be so challenging. Haron was being very difficult and was not taking things well. 

"What do you mean, she is losing herself?" He looked terrified by the very idea, and at the same time, he seemed angry and on edge. He blamed Duliae for everything even if it was completely irrational. 

"Haron... You knew that there was a price for the power..." Ernol tried to sound calming, even though he knew it probably won't work anyway. 

"Yes, I did. But why was he keeping it all a secret for so long? Maybe if we would try something earlier it would not advance so badly! But of course, he wanted to handle things on his own!" Haron scoffed, just to start pacing with apparent uneasiness. 

"She told me only few days ago. And only because she tried to kill me." Duliae's voice trembled slightly, which resulted in surprised glances for both Haron and Ernol. Was it because experience happened to be so traumatic? It had to be it, right? 

"Oh, she must really trust you then..." Haron's remark managed to cause two things. Firstly, a death glare from Ernol and secondly a heavy feeling in Duliae's chest. 

"Did you ever stumble upon anything, which would mention getting free of the cuthintal? Transferring it to different person, destroying it, getting the damn thing out?" Chandler decided to ignore the brickbat and moved on to the real question. He needed to know and he... hoped. There was no answer however, just a heavy silence, and two Milirose brothers staring at him with disbelief. 

"But what with... everything?" Ernol stumbled on his words, quite shocked. Duliae, the one person who made it all happen, who wanted the cuthintal - their only advantage in this entire mess, all of the sudden was asking for a way to get rid of it. Why? What was worth risking everything, their very lives included? 

"No... Did not see anything like it... For now, we need to assume it impossible..." Haron's words were very quiet. He went from angry and bitter to defeated and sad. In response Duliae's shoulders slumped a bit as well, which made him look older. Ernol's question was left without answer. The older brother swallowed, suddenly feeling very anxious. Both his brother and best friend seemed to be on the verge of breaking. 

"You mentioned that skilled, mysterious, rumored medic was supposed to arrive any day now? Maybe she would have a solution?" Ernol sounded very unsure, and it was apparent he did not believe it would change anything but looking at Haron's and Duliae's grim faces literally pained him. 

 

* 

 

There was uneasiness in their eyes, which made Alenca's stomach twist a bit. Things were not looking bright, she was sure of it. Haron was the best proof of that. When he arrived, alongside his brother, earlier this morning, he was all cheerful and excited, expressing his joy of seeing her again. Now he looked a bit gloomy and almost apathic, even though he tried to force a smile when she looked at him. Duliae was frowning deeply, almost matching Ernol, who was also glancing worriedly between his brother, his best friend and Alenca. 

"So..." Her weak word was not enough to break the heavy silence. Haron opened his mouth a few times, just to close them again. Duliae was clutching on his cane, looking a bit confused before anything else. He was delivering bad news before, so why he could not make it now? 

In the end Ernol sighed, deciding to aid his two, hopeless companions. 

"We... Don't know how to help you..." Alenca bit on her lip trying to stay calm. 

"Forget helping me. You need to do something, anything! What if I'll get... possessed again? I cannot just stay here like nothing ever happened! It will drive me insane in yet another way, living with fear of hurting you all!" Desperation and intensity in her voice was heartbreaking. 

"What do you expect of us Madralee? We can't chain you and lock you up. We CAN'T." Alenca frowned and shook her head violently. 

"Even now I can hear it. I can hear the calling which wants to see you all dead! You need to do something you need to..." She was shaking, from anger, frustration and fear. That's when, among the sea of whispers she heard tempting invitation of forgetting all her worries. It was loud and clear, but she decided to fight it. No. She will not let it hurt him again... But cuthintal refused to go quiet without a fight... 

 

Things got weird and even more out of control than they already were. All of the sudden, there was this eerie atmosphere surrounding them all, heavy like a mist, almost impossible to shake off. In the middle of it there was Alenca. Then it all happened very quickly. She screamed in pained, terrifying voice, then there was a wave of energy which pushed them all to the sides, with incredible force. The energy also managed to destroy big part of the room, including windows. Duliae groaned, and then blinked few times, just to realize he could not see clearly on right eye because of the blood. Cut in the brow area was not deep, but it surely looked nasty on first glance. In the opposite corner of the room Haron was getting back to his feet. Ernol was half-sitting, half-lying on the floor, trying to free his leg from the pile of broken chairs and tables. And of course, there was Alenca... 

 

She was staring at Duliae with pure horror in her eyes. She did it again. She hurt him, even if not directly. It was all her fault... 

"Darling... No... Alenca..." He got up fast, ignoring the slight pain in his knee. He had to calm Alenca down, no matter what. She was crying... Looking directly at him, shaking her head slowly. 

"I'm sorry... I'm very sorry... But it's the only way... Duliae I..." Her voice was trembling, filled with unbearable pain. He did not understand until it was too late. She was clutching a big piece of glass in her palm. For a second Alenca looked hesitant, but then, with determination on her face she raised hand, and in one sharp movement, stuck the shard deep into her own chest. 

 

I would rather die than let you hurt him again. So, take that cuthintal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's liek super late here, I will probably will still correct some stuff if I will see mistakes but...   
> Here it is, another part, another cliffhanger.  
> I plan next chapter to focus more on Duli himself next, instead of jumping around with lil unspoken things and suggestions so...   
> He shall realise by them why was it all bugging him so much.  
> If I went to OOC land, forgive me...


	3. Whispers in my heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was Alenca lying on the floor, with glass shard in her chest, so why he was the one feeling the pain? 
> 
> Even though he was a great liar, he could not fool himself anymore. The suffering he felt was too real.

Duliae realized he was hurting. The pain was spreading through him with such intensity, he almost stopped breathing. But that did not matter... He moved towards Alenca, his body feeling heavy and foreign. He had to do something, he had to save her... 

But how? 

He dropped to his knees, right next to unconscious, pale woman. 

A cuthintal woman. 

That's how he used to call her in his mind, and that's what she was supposed to stay as in his heart. A tool, a mean to power, his trump card. 

But that was not the case... Not anymore. 

He did not want to call her that now. 

Alenca. 

His hand was trembling terribly, when he caught her wrist to check for pulse. These first seconds in which he could not quite feel it almost stopped his own heart. Then he realized it was there all along, just so faint, he failed to recognize it. 

_His_ Alenca... 

She was dying... 

 

"-liae... Duliae!" The persistent calling of his name was there for quite a time now, but it had to be combined with a squeeze on his shoulder, to finally help him snap back to reality. He forced himself to look away from Alenca's pale face. Surprisingly it was Haron.  
"What do we do!? Tell me... I can help... Or go for help, or..." Younger Milirose brother looked shattered, panicked and desperate at the same time. Duliae realized, that the hand on his shoulder was shaking almost as strongly as his own. That was not the worst thing however... What made Duliae feel really uncomfortable, was the fact that apparently, he was expected to take charge, give directions, come up with a plan... Ah, wouldn't he be happy in any other circumstances? 

Now however... His mind was blank. He was never so scared in his entire life. 

"Master, the medic you were expecting is..." The servant never had a chance of finishing that sentence.  
"Bring her in here! Now!" Duliae practically shouted the order. Sudden strength appeared in his voice, caused by unexpected hope. But the time was still crucial and the butler seemed to understand that, almost running out of the room to get things done. 

Ernol cursed loudly, finally managing to get free of the rubble pile. To be completely honest however, he would probably curse anyhow considering the situation. What could he even do in the middle of that mess? Nothing. That's what... It was far beyond their control at this point, even though his brother seemed to delude himself into thinking that Duliae could come up with a solution. 

But it was not up to any of them at this point. 

"How much time passed since she's like that?" A short, specific question was asked in calm but strong voice. Then, before any of the elves even had time to answer it, the medic lady was already next to Alenca, checking on her with a deep frown.  
"Not long I assume, but even so..." There was surerly a curse under her breath, and Duliae felt his fears growing stronger again. The servant, who earlier announced the healer, walked in quietly just to bring her bag, most probably full of medical tools and specifics.  
"Are you afraid of blood?" The question was directed at poor servant, who shook head with great hesitation.  
"Perfect, you will help me out."  
"I can do it." Duliae protested, even before he had time to think about it. The lady raised her head, looking directly into chandler's eyes. Her own, light grey eyes were focused and her gaze felt piercing.  
"No. You cannot." She said, certainty strong in her tone. Duliae frowned. He wanted to protest, but then, he saw her glance at his shaky hands and suddenly he realized, she simply _knew_ that for a fact.  
"I want to help too!" It was Haron's turn now. He wanted to do something, anything!  
"No. You cannot either..." Haron felt anger. Surely, he was capable! And if it meant saving Alenca, he would agree to go through hell and more so why was he rejected?  
"Because you decided that? And you expect me to just sit back and do nothing while the most important..." He swallowed hard deciding not to finish that sentence. He was far from done with spilling out his frustrations however.  
"You have no idea what it feels like!" There was a short grimace on medic's face, and Haron immediately felt guilty for saying that. It was probably foolish to assume that, not knowing anything about the person. But he was so full of anger!  
"I do. And that's why I know you cannot help me right now." Haron frowned, but was still not ready to give up on this. There was no time for all that however.  
"Please. Get them both out of here..." Ernol did not expect the request, but it seemed the most logical thing to do, from his perspective at least, so he just nodded. For a start he extended his hand to help Duliae get up from the floor. His friend accepted help but did not look eager to leave. He was constantly glancing towards Alenca now, observing every move made by the medic and her unexpected assistant.  
"Duliae... Let them work in peace. It's the best you can do now..." Internal fight reflected on chandler's face. He knew that leaving was the best option. There was a great fear freezing him in place however. If he walks out these doors, loses Alenca from his sight... Will he ever be able to see her again?  
"What if I just..." He stopped midsentence, when he felt Ernol's hand on his back, gently pushing him. It turned out that one push was everything he needed, to start the slow walk towards exit. He was still glancing back however, on the verge of changing his mind. 

Ernol sighed. This was all far from over. He knew that much. 

"Haron..." He gently caught his brother's elbow. Younger elf frowned, shaking his head slightly.  
"No, god damn it Ernol no, I can't leave her now. I can't..." He half whispered, his voice trembling all of the sudden. Ernol felt his stomach twist a bit. He hated this entire situation.  
"Haron please..." It took a few deep breaths from his younger brother, but after that he seemed to calm down a little, nodded slightly and slumped his shoulders in defeat. Ernol half guided, half dragged his brother out of the room. They could only hope for the best now. 

* 

"She looked so young! She is probably younger than you Ernol! How can we be sure that she is capable? It's all taking forever already!" Ernol groaned. Haron was at it again. Last hour was like a torture with younger elf pacing nervously around the room, just to shout out his frustrations every five minutes. Duliae was not making things any better, gloomy and quiet, with tortured look on his face.  
"I can't stand it..." Unexpectedly Haron just stormed out of the room, apparently planning on getting out of the house completely. Ernol cursed getting up from his chair and made a few steps towards the door just to stop with great uneasiness overwhelming him. He looked at his best friend with hesitation. He knew that Haron could do something incredibly stupid if left alone, but leaving Duliae in his current state, was probably not the best of ideas either.  
"Just go... Between the two of us, Haron is more likely to get himself into trouble..." Duliae sounded incredibly tired, but that was even more of the reason to be alarmed. Ernol bit on his lip, conflicted.  
"To tell you the truth, in the current situation I am not so sure of that..." He said quietly, clearly torn.  
"If you'll keep standing here like an idiot, finding Haron might present quite a challenge." Ernol cursed yet again, frowned, and stormed out of the room in the same manner his brother did just moments earlier. 

Finally. He was all alone. 

Duliae exhaled slowly, hiding his face in his palms. There was nothing left to distract him from his thoughts. 

Now he could not deny this any longer. 

He thought back on his meeting with cuthintal girl. Surely, she picked his interest with her strong personality, but that was just curiosity, or so he thought. 

When soldiers stormed his house and took her, she walked out with head high and smile on her face.  
"It will be alright, you'll see." She said then. And for some reason he believed it. That was the first time he realized, there was far more to that human than simply being cuthintal vessel. 

From that point on, he looked at her differently, and that changed everything. He became very conscious of her presence, even if she was just quietly sitting in a chair, her brows furrowed, nose buried in a book. Duliae was finding her hunger for knowledge quite fascinating - at least that was the excuse he was repeating in his mind, when he was catching himself on studying her focused face from afar. 

After that his heart started to skip a bit every time when he heard her laugh. That was difficult to ignore, but he was still deluding himself into thinking that it will pass. He could not possibly get attached to a fragile human, who also happened to be most certainly doomed, right? 

And yet he was following her to the gardens every night, even if not always revealing himself, concerned and uneasy. She was having nightmares... And he knew exactly when they started becoming worse... That day, she promised him to try experimenting with her cuthintal skills. 

Was it all his fault then? Her madness? Her suffering? 

Duliae stood up from his place, to take a deep shaky breath. 

The image of Alenca's terrified face came back to him _Duliae I..._. She never finished the sentence, but he was sure, he saw her lips move slightly back then to tell him that... 

He clutched on his clothes, in a place when his heart was supposed to be. It was hurting so much he could not stand it. 

"I love you too... I do..." He answered in quiet, broken voice, finally letting himself accept that thought. 

But Alenca could not hear him now, so he just cursed himself for not admitting it earlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Internal pain all over.
> 
> Uh... Idk how this part happened to drag out into over 1500 words but wow, seems like I will have to put at least one more chapter to finish things off.
> 
> Also yes I shamelessly put my OC medic lady here (hope she was not annoying but hey, someone had to save the day)  
> Maybe will have courage one day to tell her own story, but not yet, that's for sure.
> 
> Sorry for my grammar as always. Hope I did not mess it up too much with having too many chars in one scene.


	4. Whispers going silent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wait was killing them all...

When the doors finally opened, Duliae was truly exhausted. His own feelings, fear for Alenca's life, the long wait... It drained him, almost pushing him on the verge of insanity. 

 

But now he was finally about to get an answer. 

 

He felt his heart beating wildly. Which was it? A grave sadness or glowing hope? He wanted to ask, but his voice got stopped by a lump in his throat. 

 

The medic looked terrible. She had dark circles under her eyes, part of her black hair stuck to sweaty face and most importantly there was blood all over. But then she smiled widely, and Duliae felt his knees giving way. He heavily dropped into a chair and covered his eyes with a hand. 

 

"It was damn though, but she is stable for now... Unconscious but stable." Duliae wiped his face (was there a strayed tear there?) and looked at the woman. 

"For now?" He asked weakly, trying to get his composure back. The smile changed into a frown, as she nodded slowly. 

"Look. I don't know what exactly happened... But it's up to her now. If she'll decide to give up, there is not much I can do... So, from now on, you can help her out better than me." Now it was Duliae's time to frown. 

"Talk to her. Convince her. Make her come back. I am sure she will hear you." She answered the question he did not even ask yet. He swallowed and rubbed on his face yet again. So there was hope, but Alenca could still perish. Especially since she _wanted to_. 

"Do you want me to take a look at that cut?" Chandler blinked in confusion. In the middle of this mess, he forgot about his own scratch. 

"No. Thank you." He trusted his legs again enough to stand. 

"Can I...?" He looked at the doors, with slight hesitation in his eyes. The medic smiled at him and nodded slightly. 

"But first... Tell me where we should move her..." 

 

* 

 

He was looking at Alenca's pale face, frowning slightly. Her breathing seemed so delicate, he was afraid it might stop every second now. Maybe that's why he was clutching on her palm so tightly. Tiny hand seemed cold under his touch, which was just fueling the feeling of uneasiness. He swallowed and closed his eyes for a second. If someone would tell him, before all that cuthintal mess happened, that he will be so shaken about safety of some human, he would probably mock them with all his might. And yet here he was... 

"She told me to convince you..." There was hesitation in his voice, but it was gone when he opened his mouth again. 

"They tell me I am quite a magician when it comes to negotiations, so I dare to feel at least tiny little bit of confidence." He actually smiled at that. Ah... Wasn't that what he was best at? Presenting tempting offers, seducing with words, winning people over? 

"So, let me make you a deal Alenca." Was she truly hearing him? He got silent for a moment. Would it be easier if she was awake? Probably quite the opposite, but he would give everything now to have a chance of finding out. 

"For a start... I asked about what could be done with your condition... Apparently, the lady who patched you up thinks, that you have a chance of taming it. _You are the ruler in your own head._ That's what she said. And you are strong Alenca, so beautifully strong, I know you can do it. We will guide you in the right direction. I promise... I won't let you feel so cornered ever again..." He swallowed, remembering desperation on her face, just before... To think, that she would go to such lengths. 

"But that is of course, not quite the bargain... Solution for your problems comes as an extra. Am I not generous?" He tried to sound cheerful, but since his heart was in quite grim condition it did not turn out as charming as he would like too. 

"Come back please, even if only to renegotiate... But know this. If you will decide on it..." Duliae inhaled sharply, before continuing. 

"You can have everything. Everything I own. My fortune, my knowledge... and my poor old heart..." He laughed shortly, with a bit of bitterness. Would that last part really tempt her? Or was it just his imagination, and wishful thinking? 

 

Did he just make up everything, and she never mouthed these precious words to him? 

 

If she won't wake up, he will never find out for sure. 

 

He pressed his lips to that cool, dear hand. 

 

"You must think me quite full of myself. Making an offer, when you are the one who actually holds all the cards at the moment..." Duliae sighed slightly. It was quite some time, since he felt so helpless. 

 

During his long life, he was winning more than once - getting what he wanted was practically given at this point. Position he build through the years was coming with benefits. But now, he realized, it was all meaningless. Everything which was, his failures and his triumphs, even combined were not quite as important to him as Alenca's case. 

 

"Darling, you can bring ruin to this old chandler..." He whispered fully acknowledging that if he will lose this most important of trades, he will pay for it with his very soul. 

 

* 

 

"Will she be alright?!" Medic jumped at the sudden question. She just walked out of Duliae's residence into heavy downpour, so she certainly did not expect anyone to casually stand there. But there he was, the young elf - Haron if she remembered right, whose help she refused earlier, soaked and miserable, looking at her like strained puppy. There was also second figure nearby, frowning and looking displeased, but staying in place nevertheless. By the look of things, they were at it for hours now. 

"I believe so, yes." She answered, realizing she _actually_ believed that. Haron's face brightened in a matter of seconds. Just a heartbeat later however he dropped to his knees exhaling strongly. It was followed by a ragged laugh. She crouched on the ground next to him immediately just to realize, she was not the only one to do so. 

"I'm... I'm fine..." Haron mumbled quietly, before either Ernol or herself even had time to ask. It did not sound convincing however so they shared concerned look over Haron's head. 

"Like hell you are!" Older brother sounded both worried and irritated and she had no idea how he managed to pull it off. 

"Try resting for a start..." Her quiet suggestion hanged heavily in the air. They all knew it won't do any good to the actual problem at hand. But it was the best idea nevertheless. 

 

It took some effort but they managed to get Haron back on his feet. 

"Thank you. I will take care of things." Ernol sounded quite confident about that, so she just nodded. That was probably for the best. Haron did not need medic, but a friendly soul. For some weird reason she decided that his frowning, angry looking brother was perfect for that task. She nodded again, this time as a form of saying goodbye, and moved slightly, intending to head home. She was stopped however, suddenly trapped in short, strong and very damp hug. Her body stiffened immediately, but she didn't move even an inch. 

"Thank you for saving her, thank you so much... I already thought that..." There was so much emotion in his words, she felt her throat tightening. 

"Haron..." He let lady medic go hearing gentle reprimand in his brother's voice. 

"I'm sorry I just... And... Sorry for earlier." He laughed awkwardly, which made him look even more miserable. 

"No hard feelings." Her answer was immediate and she was rewarded with faint smile. 

 

When they finally parted, she hugged herself, feeling cold after Haron made her clothes damp as well. 

She smiled to herself, losing the brothers from her sight. For some reason she was sure, they would be alright. 

 

 

* 

 

Days turned into weeks and the wounds of the body seemed to start fading slowly. But Alenca was still unconscious. 

 

Duliae tried his best, talking to her every day, or just sitting there, holding her hand and occasionally maybe even feeling bold enough to kiss her forehead. Sometimes he could swear he saw her expression softening slightly, but after these short moments nothing else was happening so he was blaming it on his imagination. 

 

There were also visitors. Haron stopped by few times in the beginning - to Duliae's great irritation, but after he caught chandler on holding Alenca's hand he stopped showing up. Duliae asked Ernol about it, but the only response he could force out of him was: 

"You would understand if you could see yourself." Chandler tried looking in the mirror after that but could not quite understand. He was a bit thinner maybe, and looked tired, but surely Haron did not give up cause of pity. What else _did_ he see then? 

 

* 

 

"Duliae?" Her weak voice almost made his heart fall out of his chest. He threw away the book, he was holding, and without giving it too much of a thought, he sat on the bed, and closed Alenca in tight embrace. She heard him laugh, and then felt his frame shaking slightly. 

"Duliae?" She asked again, confusion mixed with worry in her voice. But even though she was not quite sure what was happening yet, she decided to wrap her hands around his waist, returning the hug. 

"You will be the death of me..." It was all that he managed to say, without his voice breaking. He was waiting for so long, losing and gaining hope back and forth, and now here she was, alive and awake, and it was so overwhelming, he realized he had troubles breathing. 

 

Alenca moved and reached for his face. She wanted to _see_. The range of emotions she found in his eyes surprised her. Always wearing mask, careful, and secretive... There was none of that in the man before her. All she saw in his gaze was honesty filled with variety of feelings. 

 

Gentleness. 

Relief. 

Hesitation. 

Joy. 

Uncertainty. 

Passion. 

 

Love. 

 

His lips were trembling slightly. 

"Alenca... I..." He never finished his sentence, her finger on his mouth in old, silencing gesture. It was quite curious. She was pretty sure he never said it out loud to her, and yet it felt as if she heard it a thousand times by now. 

He gently kissed her finger, waiting for her to speak her mind. 

"Duliae... Did you hear me back then? Before I..." He saw her frown, he saw upcoming guilt mixed with regret and decided to interrupt her. The kiss was a bit hesitant at first, but then it quickly turned into full expression of bottled up emotions. It was enough to leave them breathless. 

 

There were things unsaid and problems to solve, but for now it could all wait. 

 

"So... Did I understand you well back then, darling?" He asked a bit teasingly, smiling. Alenca smiled back. She allowed herself to. Especially since the voices in her head seemed to turn silent for now. 

 

"In case you did not... Let me say this properly... 

 

Duliae, I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuh I am so afraid I wandered into OOC. Kill me. :}  
> I am sorry, I really am.
> 
> Also sorry for my shameless OC input.  
> Sorrryyy.  
> Oh she still has no name btw. Ptfff. *crieeees*
> 
> So I think I am quite bad when it comes to writing romance, happy like scenes or whatever. Might need practice. *cries agaaain*
> 
> So this is the end of this one (I think?!) 
> 
> Turned out way longer than I planned it.


End file.
